If you needed any more proof that Zendaya was always meant to be part of the Spider-Man universe, here it is. The actress recently revealed that her very first date was to see an Andrew Garfield Spider-Man film, a detail that becomes even more delightful when you consider that she’s now starring alongside current MCU Spider-Man Tom Holland in Brand New Day.
The Revelation
Speaking at a Spider-Man: Brand New Day fan event in Berlin, Zendaya shared that her first date, when she was around 16, was a trip to the cinema to see one of Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man movies. It’s the kind of charming coincidence that feels almost scripted: a future MJ going on her first date to watch a different era of the character she’d eventually help define.
Tom Holland, predictably, had a reaction. As captured on video and shared widely online, he hit her with a deadpan “How dare you?” Zendaya laughed and replied, “I know, sorry, but it all worked out” — which, given that she went on to marry the MCU’s Spider-Man, is hard to argue with.
A Full-Circle Spider-Man Story
The Garfield-to-Holland pipeline has been on everyone’s mind ever since No Way Home brought all three cinematic Spider-Men together onscreen in 2021. Garfield’s return in that film was one of the most celebrated moments in recent Marvel history, and his emotional arc, especially the moment involving MJ, resonated with audiences in a way nobody quite anticipated.
For Zendaya, who plays Holland’s MJ in the MCU, there’s something genuinely charming about the fact that Spider-Man was woven into her personal history long before she ever stepped onto a Marvel set. She’s now preparing for Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which opens July 31, 2026, and where both she and Holland have warned fans to emotionally prepare themselves.
The Bigger Picture
It’s a small, fun story, but it’s also a nice reminder of how thoroughly Spider-Man has embedded itself into popular culture over the past 20-plus years. From Sam Raimi’s trilogy to the Garfield era to Holland’s MCU run, the character has touched multiple generations of audiences, including, apparently, a young Zendaya on a first date.
For more on the film, check out our story on RDJ personally calling Tom Holland about his return as Doctor Doom.
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